Pakistan announces compensation for Christian victims of devastating church attack as arrests continue

Authorities in Pakistan have announced that they will provide compensation of 2 million Pakistani rupees ($6,800) to each of the nearly 100 poor Christians who lost their homes when a Muslim mob attacked their neighborhoods, burning at least 19 churches and causing damage to houses.

The attack, which took place last week, has been condemned nationwide. Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar ul Haq Kakar has ordered the arrest of all those linked to the rioting, and has promised to ensure the protection of minorities, including Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, and Ahmadis. The police have arrested dozens of rioters in ongoing raids, bringing the total number of detainees to 160.

The authorities are also continuing to conduct raids to arrest an additional 450 suspects. The violence in Jaranwala, located in Punjab province, was one of the most destructive in the country's history. Mohsin Naqvi, the top official in Punjab, visited the city and held a Cabinet meeting at a burned church, where he announced the compensation for the victims.

Local Christian priest Khalid Mukhtar expressed concern for the safety and well-being of the affected families, particularly the traumatized children who witnessed the tragedy. He stated that all 26 churches in Jaranwala were attacked, burned, or damaged.

Mukhtar also contested Naqvi's claims about the repair of the churches, stating that only the walls of two churches were painted and still needed to be rebuilt. The rioters accused a local Christian and his friend of desecrating the Quran by tearing out pages, throwing them on the ground, and writing insulting remarks on other pages.

The police have arrested the two men accused of the crime. Local leaders from the hard-line Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) party are also implicated in inciting violence, which led to the desecration of a Christian graveyard. The TLP has a history of organizing violent rallies in Pakistan against Quran desecration in other parts of the world.

Within the next 48 hours, the compensation promised by the government will be distributed to all Christians who suffered financial losses due to the attacks. Authorities have also begun repairing the damaged churches, with the goal of restoring them to their original condition.

However, there are concerns that the repairs done so far are insufficient, as some churches' walls were only painted instead of being rebuilt. Pakistan's blasphemy laws stipulate that anyone found guilty of insulting Islam can face the death penalty. While capital punishment has not been carried out for blasphemy thus far, mere accusations can incite violent mobs and lead to lynching incidents.

The government's efforts to address the aftermath of the attack and provide compensation to the affected families are crucial in ensuring justice and safety for religious minorities in the country.